


Courting Demons and Madness

by Leela, qafmaniac



Category: Adam Lambert (Musician), Tommy Ratliff (Musician)
Genre: AU, M/M, Vampires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-08
Updated: 2014-06-08
Packaged: 2018-02-03 20:33:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1756425
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leela/pseuds/Leela, https://archiveofourown.org/users/qafmaniac/pseuds/qafmaniac
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>His mother's voice murmured, <em>Demon</em>, in his mind, but all that did was make Thomas want even more.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Courting Demons and Madness

**Author's Note:**

  * For [vlredreign](https://archiveofourown.org/users/vlredreign/gifts).



> **Beta** : eeyore9990
> 
> So, qafmaniac created this banner for Red's birthday and I couldn't help but write something for it.

**Thomas of Redcliff**

"You play well."

The voice was low, faintly accented, and unfamiliar enough that Thomas had his hand on the knife tucked into his belt when he turned around. "Thank you, milord," he said, careful not to raise his eyes in a way that could be considered challenging. He'd learned that lesson too well over the past months.

A gloved hand cupped Thomas' chin. For a moment, all he could do was wonder at the softness of the leather, how it felt so much cooler than the overwhelming heat of the public rooms. Then his head was tilted upward, giving him no choice except to look into a pair of blue grey eyes. Their intensity shot through him, striking a chord deep in his soul, and he shivered.

Adam, Thomas remembered from the introductions that took place while he was playing, but the man's title and last name were lost in the music. It was better that way, he reminded himself. He was no king. What he wanted could only lead to his death and his family's destruction.

"It's..." Adam paused, and his gaze seemed to search Thomas' eyes, "unusual for someone of your rank to play for others like a common bard."

"It's my pleasure to do as my king commands," Thomas said mildly, reminding himself that this stranger cared nothing for his mother and sister, who were being held hostage to Thomas' good behavior. And yet there was something about Adam that held Thomas there. He should leave this alcove, go and await the king's pleasure, but he didn't.

"And if your king's commands change? If his favors once again return to another?"

Unable to help himself, Thomas craned his neck so that he could see around the curtains that protected the alcove. King Edward seemed relaxed, almost lazy, but all of his attention was on the newly reinstated Gaveston. Clearly, no one else mattered. 

Anger and determination rose in Thomas. To be summoned here, to be told that his mother's and sister's well-being depending upon his good behavior, and then to be cast aside when Pissant Gaveston swanned back across the channel as if the barons of England didn't want his head... 

"My family and I will survive," Thomas vowed, adding silently, _somehow, I promise._

"Your king plans to marry you off," Adam said. "Anne Despenser would bring you a dowry large enough to redress all the damage your father did to your family fortune." 

The shiver that ran through Thomas this time was more one of disgust. "I won't..." he began to say, but then trailed off as he watched Gaveston sprawl elegantly on the steps leading up to King Edward's throne. His time here was over, that much was clear. Nothing remained of his life except to marry, breed, and leave his music behind. He sighed. It would be like living in a minor circle of the hell that his mother believed in.

"What if you had another choice?"

Adam's words caught at Thomas' heart with barbed thorns, dripping hope like acid into his veins. "There is no other choice. Not for me or my family."

"There's always another choice." Adam's lips curved up into a smile that revealed sharp fangs. 

His mouth suddenly dry, Thomas licked his lips and swallowed. His mother's voice murmured, _Demon_ , in his mind, but all that did was make Thomas want even more.

If Adam had been of passing interest, demon Adam was nearly irresistible. It took everything Thomas had not to press closer. He closed his eyes, focused on his mother and his sister, on what would happen to them if he wasn't there to prevent them from being evicted from their land. 

"My favor lasts several lifetimes," Adam whispered, his lips cool against the shell of Thomas' ear. "My fortune is more than sufficient to dowry your sister and her family for countless generations without any effect on our lives."

"I shouldn't," Thomas protested, although it didn't sound believable even to him.

"You should." 

"My family..."

"Your music." 

Adam took one of Thomas' hands and raised it to his lips. He kissed the tips of Thomas' fingers and licked over the callouses left by the harp strings. Each touch of his tongue spiraled directly down Thomas' spine and settled in his cock and balls. 

When Adam released his hand, Thomas swayed toward him. Needing something he couldn't put into words, Thomas slid his free hand up Adam's chest. His palm ran over the sumptuous black cloth and up to the soft skin of Adam's face. He brushed his thumb over Adam's upper lip and then, after a brief hesitation, still driven by that strange need, he pressed the pad against one of Adam's fangs. The sharp pain sent a shudder of need through Thomas, but it was nothing compared to the way Adam's eyes flared bright blue and the desperation with which he sucked on Thomas' thumb. 

"Your taste," Adam all but moaned as he wrapped an arm around Thomas' waist and pulled him close, knocking the hat off Thomas' head. "You have no idea." 

"I might," Thomas said, rising up on his toes so he could kiss Adam. 

At first, it was a disappointingly soft press of mouth against mouth. Then Adam licked into him, opening him up and grazing the tips of his fangs against Thomas's lower lip. Each sweep of Adam's tongue felt like a thrust into Thomas, soft and hard, fast and slow, until Thomas was clinging to him, rubbing against him. 

Adam stopped, drew back, and Thomas nearly whined at him. "I need," Adam murmured, his voice rough and hoarse. His eyes had darkened, and the irises had gained a red edge. 

Then someone laughed, high and light, reminding Thomas that King Edward was too close. Thomas might not be his favorite any longer, but he hadn't been dismissed from the king's presence.

"Not here," Thomas said, sanity returning like a wave of cold water. "I have no interest in losing my head."

"My rooms." Adam grazed his thumb over Thomas' lower lip. "If you still want me, come in an hour."

Pausing just before pushing through the curtains, Adam turned back. "If you do, bring your harp because this will be forever." 

As soon as the curtains swung back into place, Thomas leaned back against the wall. Fine tremors ran through his body. "What are you doing?" he whispered. "Courting demons and madness?"

No one heard. No one answered. 

After a few minutes, when he trusted his body not to give him away, Thomas left the alcove and went to get his harp.

^V^

**Tommy Joe Ratliff**

Nearly a century had passed since Tommy had last seen Adam. He couldn't even remember what they'd fought about. One of them had wanted to do something that would draw too much attention, maybe? Or was it a war, one of the hundreds that had torn through countries over the centuries. 

Did it even matter? Probably not any more than it mattered that he was once again calling himself Tommy, adopting a name that was closer to his birth name than any other he'd ever used.

"Hey, you going inside or you just going to stand there and block the entrance like an asshole?"

Biting back a growl, Tommy spun around and glared at the guy behind him. "Maybe I'm just that kind of asshole?"

To Tommy's surprise, the guy laughed instead of taking offense. "That would be just my luck." He held out his hand. "Isaac Carpenter, hopefully about to become Adam Lambert's drummer." 

"Tommy Joe Ratliff."

After shaking hands, the guy cocked his head and asked, "Guitarist?"

"If I'm lucky," Tommy said, knowing that that was mostly a lie. Luck had been for the first round, and possibly even this second round. But if he made it to the final audition call, his chances were 50/50. As soon as he saw Tommy, Adam was either going to kick him out or kick everyone else out. And if he got kicked out, Tommy didn't know what he was going to do.

Isaac stayed with him all the way through sign-in. He didn't say anything interesting until they were sitting on a pair of uncomfortable metal chairs. "I hear Lambert's sitting in on all the auditions tonight."

Tommy's heart thumped out an unexpected beat. "Why?" 

"Rumor is that he's not just looking for someone with talent, but people he can hang with."

"Sounds like him." The words were out before Tommy could stop them. 

Giving him a curious look, Isaac asked, "You know Adam Lambert?"

Tommy shrugged. "I heard things." 

Isaac nodded, rapping out a beat on his thigh. He was quiet for a while, giving Tommy too much time to wonder which pieces of himself Adam had put into this incarnation. Tommy had done his research, seen the official backstory and the folks Adam had talked into playing his family, but he didn't _know_.

Then the first reject came out of the audition space muttering about weird-ass hippie singers and how astrology was a piece of crap that had nothing to do with how well a guy could play.

"People talk shit, that's for sure." Isaac nudged Tommy. "You think Lambert's really into zodiac signs?"

"Way stranger things have happened," Tommy said, leaning down to check on his spare strings for the fifth time.

"Oh yeah. I played for one woman who wouldn't hire anyone who didn't look good in yellow." Isaac laughed. "And then there was the guy who wanted his band members to sign a pledge that they wouldn't eat meat for the length of their contract."

They started trading stories, each one getting more outrageous than the other, until Tommy's name was called. 

His heart gave another of those odd thumps as he stood up. He grabbed his bag, slung his guitar over his shoulder, and went over to the woman with the clipboard.

"Break it," Isaac called after him. 

Tommy barely heard anything the woman told him about what to expect as they walked down a long hallway. He hesitated when she pushed the door open, almost turned around when she announced his name, and didn't even look up until the door was closed behind him. 

A chair scraped as Adam rose to his feet. Eye makeup, hair dyed black, more piercings than he'd had in years — Tommy was glad that he didn't really need to breathe.

"Out," Adam said. "Everyone out." 

Someone argued, but Tommy couldn't say who it was. He ignored them all, keeping his eyes on Adam. 

As soon as they were alone, Adam started moving toward him. "Thomas?" The hunger in Adam's voice matched the want roaring through Tommy.

How had he not remembered what this felt like? How had he not known that he'd only been half-alive for all those years?

"Tommy?" Adam cradled Tommy's face in his hands. "I like that. It suits you."

Reaching up, Tommy curled his fingers around Adam's hands. Adam leaned down and pressed his mouth against Tommy's. A simple touch, almost gentle, and Tommy responded by scraping his fangs against Adam's lower lip. 

That's all it took. The tenderness of their touch, of that kiss, blazed into need. Adam's hands slid down Tommy's body. His fingers bit into Tommy's hip and ass. They nipped and sucked at each other's mouths, soothed the stinging kisses with their tongues. 

Tommy could taste Adam, feel Adam, but it wasn't enough. He dragged his lips along Adam's jaw, down his neck, and sucked up a mark over his jugular. 

"Missed you," Adam said, pressing up into Tommy's mouth and bringing Tommy's wrist to his own.

"I brought my guitar," Tommy whispered, and then he bit down at the same time as Adam's teeth sank into his wrist. 

Blood welled into Tommy's mouth, bringing warmth, faint images of Adam dancing, laughing with someone, feelings of love and need. It tasted like demons and madness, like forever.


End file.
